desertanimal
Arachnoknight
- Joined
- Jan 6, 2011
- Messages
- 173
I rarely road cruise because it uses gas, and I don't really even go herping that often. But, my in-laws now like to go (and will pay for gas 
), so we made a date and went way out east of Phoenix tonight. They picked me up at 5pm and I got back at midnight. But it was worth the time. I got to see 4 snakes I've never seen before. They're nothing special, really, but like I said, I don't go herping much, so it was neat for me.
First find, Crotalus atrox (WDB). Little 'un. A little testy, too, and didn't want to ride the hook, so I just got pics where I found him. Nothing too pretty, but the snake itself is!
Next, we came across a Cali king, Lampropeltis getula. Finding a live one was actually a lifer for me. I really, really like these guys and I think they'll be my next CB snake purchase. This one was totally chill. I picked him up and kept him while continuing our cruising, and then took him back on the way out for photos. He was unperturbed. Last two pics are of him apparently hunting right after I put him down. He was smelling, smelling, and then cruising. Smelling, smelling, looking in a hole, cruising. No worse for wear from the car ride, that's for sure!
Oh! What's in here, I wonder?
Ah. Nothing was in there. Keep on keeping on . . .
---------- Post added at 03:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:36 AM ----------
Next I found another lifer. This didn't even look like a snake in the road to me, since it was all the wrong shape. I'm used to looking for long things. But when a 'winder is moving across your field of vision, it doesn't look like a snake at all until you get close to it. This was a lifer that I was pretty excited about. They feel completely different when you're manipulating them with the hook than the straight-ahead movers do. At least I thought so.
Crotalus cerastes
Solifugid. No gushing with these (sorry, but I've seen a million billion!). They still look remarkably like muppets to me ever single time I see them. Fearsome, bitey muppet arachnids.
Glossy snake. Arizona elegans. Lifer as well. We found one DOR before this one, so it was nice to find a live one. These guys are very nice. Zero testy-factor. Although I guess it musked me, because my hands didn't smell so good after catching it. But it was a very low-key musk. No thrashing silliness and it hardly smelled. Nothing like a garter snake or ringneck. Best musking I've ever suffered.
Then a desert nightsake. Hypsighlena chlorphaea. A tiny one. Maybe 12 inches. Lifer for me, and very scary with the head-flattening. It appeared to have suffered some insult and had a small bit of innards protruding from the vent (dried), but it was spunky and getting around just fine, so I helped it off the road and decided to let nature take its course, whatever it may be. I couldn't bring myself to intervene.
---------- Post added at 03:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:38 AM ----------
Next I found a small and very handsome gopher snake, Pituophis catenifer. I just love how vibrant these guys' markings are when they're young. I have met some huffy gophers in my time, and some bitey ones, too, but they seem to be pretty relaxed when they're young.
And last, but not least, the (legally collected) new beaux for my lady gecko. He is big, he is fat, he is handsome, he is strangely un-shy, he isn't even very sensitive to light, and he has his full original tail as a full-grown male! I'm very happy I didn't hit him with my tire. I am smitten with him already. I hope he loves roaches as much as his betrothed.
That marks the end of a very good night! Goodnight!
), so we made a date and went way out east of Phoenix tonight. They picked me up at 5pm and I got back at midnight. But it was worth the time. I got to see 4 snakes I've never seen before. They're nothing special, really, but like I said, I don't go herping much, so it was neat for me. First find, Crotalus atrox (WDB). Little 'un. A little testy, too, and didn't want to ride the hook, so I just got pics where I found him. Nothing too pretty, but the snake itself is!
Next, we came across a Cali king, Lampropeltis getula. Finding a live one was actually a lifer for me. I really, really like these guys and I think they'll be my next CB snake purchase. This one was totally chill. I picked him up and kept him while continuing our cruising, and then took him back on the way out for photos. He was unperturbed. Last two pics are of him apparently hunting right after I put him down. He was smelling, smelling, and then cruising. Smelling, smelling, looking in a hole, cruising. No worse for wear from the car ride, that's for sure!
Oh! What's in here, I wonder?
Ah. Nothing was in there. Keep on keeping on . . .
---------- Post added at 03:38 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:36 AM ----------
Next I found another lifer. This didn't even look like a snake in the road to me, since it was all the wrong shape. I'm used to looking for long things. But when a 'winder is moving across your field of vision, it doesn't look like a snake at all until you get close to it. This was a lifer that I was pretty excited about. They feel completely different when you're manipulating them with the hook than the straight-ahead movers do. At least I thought so.
Crotalus cerastes
Solifugid. No gushing with these (sorry, but I've seen a million billion!). They still look remarkably like muppets to me ever single time I see them. Fearsome, bitey muppet arachnids.
Glossy snake. Arizona elegans. Lifer as well. We found one DOR before this one, so it was nice to find a live one. These guys are very nice. Zero testy-factor. Although I guess it musked me, because my hands didn't smell so good after catching it. But it was a very low-key musk. No thrashing silliness and it hardly smelled. Nothing like a garter snake or ringneck. Best musking I've ever suffered.
Then a desert nightsake. Hypsighlena chlorphaea. A tiny one. Maybe 12 inches. Lifer for me, and very scary with the head-flattening. It appeared to have suffered some insult and had a small bit of innards protruding from the vent (dried), but it was spunky and getting around just fine, so I helped it off the road and decided to let nature take its course, whatever it may be. I couldn't bring myself to intervene.
---------- Post added at 03:40 AM ---------- Previous post was at 03:38 AM ----------
Next I found a small and very handsome gopher snake, Pituophis catenifer. I just love how vibrant these guys' markings are when they're young. I have met some huffy gophers in my time, and some bitey ones, too, but they seem to be pretty relaxed when they're young.
And last, but not least, the (legally collected) new beaux for my lady gecko. He is big, he is fat, he is handsome, he is strangely un-shy, he isn't even very sensitive to light, and he has his full original tail as a full-grown male! I'm very happy I didn't hit him with my tire. I am smitten with him already. I hope he loves roaches as much as his betrothed.
That marks the end of a very good night! Goodnight!
